III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 420 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that effective treatment and access to 

care for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis should be improved. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 3, 2006 

Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. SANTORUM, Mr. JOHNSON, 

Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. WARNER, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

JULY 31, 2006 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that effective treatment 

and access to care for individuals with psoriasis and 

psoriatic arthritis should be improved. 

Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are serious, chronic, 

inflammatory, disfiguring, and life-altering diseases that 

require sophisticated medical intervention and care; 

Whereas, according to the National Institutes of Health, between 5,800,000 citizens and 7,500,000 citizens of the 

United States are affected by psoriasis; 

Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are— 

(1) painful and disabling diseases with no cure; and 


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(2) diseases that have a significant and adverse impact on the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with 

them; 

Whereas studies have indicated that psoriasis may cause as 

much physical and mental disability as other major diseases, including— 

(1) cancer; 

(2) arthritis; 

(3) hypertension; 

(4) heart disease; 

(5) diabetes; and 

(6) depression; 

Whereas studies have shown that psoriasis is associated with 

elevated rates of depression and suicidal ideation; 

Whereas citizens of the United States spend between 

$2,000,000,000 and $3,000,000,000 to treat psoriasis 

each year; 

Whereas early diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis 

may help prevent irreversible joint damage; 

Whereas treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presents a 

challenge for patients and health care providers because— 

(1) no single treatment works for every patient diagnosed with the disease; 

(2) some treatments lose effectiveness over time; and 

(3) all treatments have the potential to cause a 

unique set of side effects; 

Whereas, although safer and more effective treatments are 

now more readily available, many people do not have access to them; and 


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Whereas Congress as an institution, and the members of 

Congress as individuals, are in a unique position to help 

raise public awareness about the need for increased access to effective treatment options for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes— 

3 (A) the need for enhanced public aware4 ness of psoriasis; 

5 (B) the adverse impact that psoriasis can 

6 have on people living with the disease; and 

7 (C) the importance of an early diagnosis 

8 and proper treatment of psoriasis; 

9 (2) supports the continuing leadership provided 

10 by the Director of the National Institutes of Health 

11 and the Director of the National Institute of Arthri12 tis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases for iden13 tifying a cure and developing safer, more effective 

14 treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; and 

15 (3) encourages— 

16 (A) researchers to examine the negative 

17 psychological and physical effects of psoriasis to 

18 better understand its impact on those who have 

19 been diagnosed with the disease; and 


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1 (B) efforts to increase access to treatments 

2 and care that individuals living with psoriasis 

3 and psoriatic arthritis need and deserve. 

Æ 


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